An automated external defibrillator (AED) is a portable electronic device that treats cardiac arrhythmias through defibrillation. Such cardiac arrhythmias are potentially life-threatening and the sooner that an AED can be used to treat a patient, the greater the likelihood that the defibrillation by the AED will benefit the patient. Defibrillation by an AED can include the application of electrical therapy which stops the arrhythmia and allows the heart to reestablish an effective rhythm. Some AEDs can automatically diagnose arrhythmias and tailor patient treatment to meet the diagnosis. AEDs are typically designed so that someone without extensive medical training can effectively use AEDs to provide defibrillation treatment, though many AED training programs are available for basic training on how to use an AED.
Because patients typically benefit from administering AED treatment sooner, many public places, such as libraries, movie theaters, hotels, high-rise buildings, and the like, are placing AEDs in accessible locations. While public places may want to make AEDs accessible, they also want to ensure that AEDs are protected from inadvertent, unintended, or nefarious use, such as use by a child, by a vandal, and the like. To protect AEDs while making them available for use, AEDs are frequently placed inside of protective containers, such as metal cabinets or containers. Other devices, such as fire extinguishers, are similarly placed in protective containers to prevent unwanted uses of the devices while making the devices readily available for use.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,172,129 describes a system including a metal cabinet, an AED located within the metal cabinet, an internal patch antenna mounted to an internal surface of the metal cabinet, an external patch antenna mounted to an external surface of the metal cabinet, and an electrical cable connecting the internal patch antenna to the external patch antenna. The AED is configured to communicate via wireless signals with other devices or networks. Such communications to and from the AED can be used for purposes such as providing software updates, querying the AED for state or error data, transmission of AED event data to external networks, or communicating information such as the remaining shelf life of time sensitive components of the AED. While the AED is situated within the cabinet, its radio transmissions are received by the internal patch antenna and transmitted through the electrical connection to the external patch antenna, which in turn transmits wireless signals directionally to an external transceiver such as an external wireless access point in the vicinity of the cabinet.